Morning Shows Skip Ideological Labels for Violent Anti-War Protesters

Violent anti-war protesters clashed with Chicago police this weekend,
but the network morning shows on Monday avoided attempts at pinning an
ideology on them, simply referring to "anti-war" "protesters."

On CBS This Morning, Charlie Rose blandly explained, "Protests
turned violent in Chicago...Police battle protesters in Chicago."
Reporter Bill Plante added, "And a small group of them clashed with
police and 45 were arrested." ABC at least provided mores specifics,
including a stabbing and foiled attempts to use Molotov cocktails at the
NATO summit.

Good Morning America
reporter Alex Perez also identified, "Also Sunday, the hacker group
Anonymous waged cyber war online, knocking out the city and police
department websites and calling on other hackers to strike in this
online video."

Perez closed the segment by mentioning that the Chicago police chief said "most of the demonstrations were peaceful."

Contrast that with how ABC described the actually peaceful Tea Party march on Washington:

“They’ve waved signs likening President Obama to Hitler and the devil;
raised questions about whether he was really born in this country;
falsely accused him of planning to set up death panels; decried his
speech to students as indoctrination; and called him everything from a
‘fascist’ to a ‘socialist’ to a ‘communist.’ ...And all that was before
Mr. Obama’s speech was interrupted by a representative who once fought
to keep the Confederate flag waving over the South Carolina state house.
Add it all up, and some prominent Obama supporters are now saying that
it paints a picture of an opposition driven, in part, by a refusal to
accept a black President.”
— ABC’s Dan Harris on World News, September 15, 2009.

On the Today show, Ann Curry summarized, "Violence in the
streets. Police brace for new clashes with protests at the NATO summit
in Chicago today. This after at least 45 people were arrested over the
weekend."

A transcript of the May 21, 2012 GMA segment can be found below:

GMA

05/21/12

7:00am tease

GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS: Chicago under siege. Police battle protesters
into the night, racing to stop domestic terrorists, saying they've
already foiled three violent plots to use guns and explosives. As the
president meets with world leaders, are they in danger?

7:01

ROBIN ROBERTS: Right to Chicago, now, where President Obama and many
of the world's most powerful leaders are gathered right now. ABC's Alex
Perez has the very latest for us this morning. Good morning, Alex.

ALEX
PEREZ: Good morning, Robin. The demonstration was practically over. The
big problem began when police tried to disperse the crowd and they
refused to move. Chicago police officers in riot gear beat back anti-war
demonstrators late Sunday, welding their batons in a show of force as
hundreds of protester, some using makeshift weapons, tried to push
through this security perimeter surrounding the NATO summit.

VOICE: If you fail to come ply, may be arrested.

PEREZ: Police say one officer was stabbed, three others injured in the
melee. Chicago's top cop, superintendent Gary McCarthy was on the
ground trying to help and, later, defended his officers.

GARY MCCARTHY: The officers were assaulted. They don't have to stand
there and take an assault. The fingers should be pointed at the people
that assaulted the cops.

PEREZ: Even after a day filled with demonstration, the protests and
massive police presence continued through the night, including several
confrontations along the way. Nearly 50 protesters were detained or
arrested.

FEMALE PROTESTER: Hey NATO! What did you say? How many kids did you kill today?

PEREZ: Chicago police are also scrambling to stop what they describe
as attempted acts of domestic terrorism as 60 heads of state gather here
for the NATO summit. Three men were charged, Saturday, with plotting
attacks on President Obama's campaign headquarters, as well as the home
of Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel and several financial buildings. Police
say they've foiled at least three violent plots, including alleged plans
by 24-year-old Sebastian Senakiewicz to use Molotov cocktails at the
summit. Also Sunday, the hacker group Anonymous waged cyber war online,
knocking out the city and police department websites and calling on
other hackers to strike in this online video.

ANONYMOUS: Chicagopolice.org should be fired upon as much as possible.

PEREZ: Now, most of the protesters in police custody were released
early this morning. Even with all those clashes, the police
superintendent says most of the demonstrations were peaceful. George?

-- Scott Whitlock is the senior news analyst for the Media Research Center. Click here to follow him on Twitter.

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